Twenty-something poet based in NW England. Trying to say what everybody feels.

25 Lessons In 25 Years: 5-8

I’m 25 soon! To celebrate that (and to start off a new journal), I decided to think up twenty-five lessons I’ve learned so far in my (relatively) short time on earth. I initially had this planned for one blog post, but then it just became way too long, so I decided to split it down into four lessons every couple of days for the next few weeks, and then the 25th lesson actually on my birthday… see what I did there?

Some of these lessons are little lessons, some are more wide ranging. Some I learnt when I was about ten, and some I’ve only learnt (the hard way) in recent months or years.

What did you learn in your twenties? Do you agree with these thoughts and ideas? Let me know in the comments!

More cake.

5. Books Are The Best Thing Ever

You will find friends, a home, and alternative universes and different lives within the pages of books. Some books will change your life (6 Beautiful Books That Changed My Life/Another 6 Beautiful Books That Changed My Life), and change you as a person. They will open your eyes and change your opinions and your world views. Not everyone have the capacity for travel, but in the pages of books you can travel to places that you would never normally get a chance to go to.

Bookshelf by Radu Marcusu on Unsplash

6. Some Things Are Worth Fighting For

Sometimes life can throw curve balls at you, and make you question what is important. It might be your beliefs, or friends, or family. But there are some things are worth holding onto. For me one of the things was being able to talk about my mental health (5 Myths About Depression). It can make some people uncomfortable. Particularly if they don’t understand it. Yet I think it’s important to talk about it and to keep talking, to help people understand, and to let other people know they’re not alone.

7. Your Views Will Change (Or At Least They Should!)

It was Tim Minchin who said – in his speech to a group of graduands (link to a YouTube video, if you’ve not seen it, I strongly recommend you watch it!) – that “opinions are like assholes in that everyone had one. Opinions are unlike assholes, however, in the fact that yours should be thoroughly and regularly examined”. Your opinions should change. As you read more, meet more people, see more of the world etc. I mean fuck, you only have to read my diaries to see how much mine have changed. I used to support the fucking Tories for goodness sake…

8. It’s Okay To Be Selfish… Sometimes

Sometimes it’s okay to put your needs above others. Particularly if this involves something to do with your mental health and you need to take some time out to practice some self-care. Just let other people know what you’re doing so that they don’t worry about you if you need to go off the grid for a while.

What did you learn by the time you were 25? Or, if you’re not there yet, what do you hope to have figured out by then?

4 thoughts on “25 Lessons In 25 Years: 5-8”

Books ARE the best thing ever…yes!
I remember you used to espouse rather Conservative views… you made a comment to my appreciation society website warning people never to get into discussions about communism with me…
And selfish – yes! There’s a real & unappreciated difference between selfish = me me me & fuck the rest of you, and selfish = nurturing myself because I need to. Nothing wrong with that one.
Seriously, though, remembering about 25 is hard for some of us…

Ahahahahahaha did I??? Oh God, I’m so sorry! I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m still not a big fan of Communism, but my views are far far far more left wing than they used to be!! I guess that’s just a product of growing up in the golden triangle to some extent… privilege begets privileged ideas…